Vena Cava’s Alogonquin Hotel Punch
“It’s a go to for our parties. It’s basically all alcohol and sugar.We combine a bottle of dark rum, a bottle of gin and a bottle of champagne with mashed raspberries and mashed lemon peel and sugar. Long island ice tea is a poor mans version of this. I have my grandmothers old punch bowl with feet on it, so that is what we like to serve it in. Everyone gets sloshed-it makes a great party-it was the standard bar punch at the old Algonquin hotel.”
Lisa Mayock, Vena Cava
Vena Cava’s Alogonquin Hotel Punch
Ingredients:
-peel from 4 lemons, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
-1/3 cup superfine sugar
-2 cups fresh raspberries, divided
-3 cups gin
-2 cups fresh lemon juice
-1 1/2 cups dark rum
-6 cups ice cubes
-2 cups chilled champagne
-your ice block
-a punch bowl
Algonquin Bar Punch
(this was the house punch during the early years of the Algonquin Hotel)
First things first- you need to make an iceblock.
It looks really impressive- but really all you need it a medium sized pot and some decent space in your freezer.
Just fill it up with filtered water and freeze overnight or for about a day. Dip it in hot water to release the ice.
(also make sure the block will fit in your punchbowl once its frozen- thats key)
Method
Mash the lemon strips in a large bowl with the sugar. Add the 1 1/4 cups of the raspberries and mash those too.
Add gin, lemon juice, and rum. Add ice and stir to blend. Refrigerate this for 20 minutes.
Add ice block to your punch bowl, and strain the punch mixture over the ice block. Add champagne and stir.
Add the remaining lemon slices and raspberries- and youre done!
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